The Baltic Seasider

This new holiday to the Polish coast is packed with several centuries of history, culture, and of course diverse railways. Based in the historic Hanseatic City of Gdansk, your holiday includes visits to the largest castle in the world, the oldest British-built naval destroyer, charming railway trips, important memorial sites from World War II and pristine beaches.

• Visit the elegant seaside resort town of Sopot, the ‘Rimini of the North’, and the UNESCO World Heritage site of
  Malbork Castle.
• Visit the World War II memorial sites at Westerplatte, and step aboard the preserved Polish destroyer ORP Błyskawica
  in the port of Gdynia.
• Enjoy private river and harbour cruises in Gdansk and Gdynia, as well as the sunset sail from Hel across the bay to Gdansk.
• Experience rail journeys on local, regional, and Intercity trains in the region, with vintage traction and First-Class accommodation, plus train trips to the famed Hel peninsula and the seaside branch line to Łeba.
  

Saturday 26th July 

Arrive in Gdansk

A direct flight from London will take you to Gdansk before transferring to your city centre hotel. After a welcome meal at the hotel, you’re free to spend the rest of the day exploring this fine city at leisure. All the major attractions are in the Old Town or along the historic harbour, close to your hotel. You’ll also receive a week-long public transport rover ticket, so you can explore the city’s local tram network. (L)

Sunday 27th July

Vintage trolleybuses, Destroyer Błyskawica and harbour cruise in Gdynia

The port city of Gdynia was developed during the 1920s and 1930s and boasts several Art Deco landmarks from that era. The German battleship ‘Bismarck’ sailed from it during German occupation in May 1941 on its lone combat mission to the North Atlantic, before being sunk by the Royal Navy on 27 May 1941. Today, Gdynia remains Poland’s preeminent maritime city. You’ll see more naval World War II history here in the form of the Polish destroyer ORP Błyskawica (Lightning). The destroyer was decommissioned in 1976 and is now an attractive naval museum in the harbour. Built with its sister ORP Grom (Thunder) in 1935 by Samuel White at Cowes on the Isle of Wight, Błyskawica was designed to be faster and better armoured than most destroyers of that time. Withdrawn to safety in UK waters just before the German invasion of Poland, the ship served with its Polish crew under the banner of the Royal Navy for countless campaigns of WWII. After the tour of the destroyer, you have a scheduled sightseeing ride of Gdynia to enjoy, travelling on the vintage trolleybus heritage line that is in service on Sundays in the summer and includes classic vehicles from the 1950s. The day in Gdynia finishes with an afternoon private sightseeing cruise of the harbour, including complimentary drinks. In the evening you return to Gdansk for dinner at the hotel. (B D)

Monday 28th July

Gdansk Shipyard Museum, Baltic resort at Sopot, Gdansk sunset dinner cruise

This morning you first visit the Gdansk shipyard museum and narrates the history of the Solidarity (Solidarnosc) workers union, which was a key anti-communist movement in the 1980s and contributed to the downfall of the Iron Curtain. You then take a local train from Gdansk’s historic main station dating from 1900 to Sopot. This is Poland’s premier seaside resort, steeped in grand architecture from the early 20th Century. The town’s sandy beach and long boardwalk pier are easily accessible from the railway station, as is the town centre, with its attractive cafes. Enjoy the seaside resort ambiance, which in the 1920s was known as the ‘Rimini of the North’, thanks to its vibrant cultural life. With your flexible railway ticket, you have free time in Sopot before you take the frequent local train back to Gdansk. In the evening you rejoin your group for a sunset harbour cruise on the River Motława in Gdansk. (B D)

Tuesday 29th July

World War II history in Gdansk, Westerplatte port ferry, and Polish Post Office Museum

After a leisurely breakfast, it’s time to explore the important WWII history of the city. The first battle of WWII began on the 1st of September 1939 at the Westerplatte fort, inside Gdansk harbour. The port ferry will take you on a scenic harbour cruise down the river and past the port cranes to Westerplatte, to visit the battlefield museum and memorial on the Westerplatte peninsula. After a 90-minute visit, you return by boat to the Old Town to see the World War II Museum as well as the Polish Post Office, site of another heroic ‘last stand’ in September 1939. After the visit to both museums, you are free to spend the rest of the day at leisure and explore more of Gdansk. (B)

Wednesday 30th July

Standard and narrow-gauge railways of the Hel peninsula, World War II history and sunset ferry back to Gdansk

Located north of Gdynia, the Hel peninsula juts out in the Baltic Sea and during the 1930s was of crucial strategic significance for Poland and the protection of the Polish Corridor.
Extensive coastal defences were built on the peninsula, which today can be visited as a museum. You take a direct PKP Intercity Train from Gdansk to the seaside terminus of Hel, travelling in First Class and using both electric and diesel locomotives. At Hel, the standard gauge railway terminus is right next to the beaches, and you can stroll along the popular promenade. Then you have a short transfer by popular golf cart to the local military museum and narrow-gauge railway, getting a guided tour of both and having a train ride on the line, originally built for military purposes. After some more time on the sandy, windswept beaches of Hel and time for refreshments, you take the evening ferry from Hel directly back to Gdansk, enjoying the fine views of the Baltic Sea at dusk. (B)

Thursday 31st July

Heritage Steamer in Gdansk and tramway to the Baltic beaches at Stogi

After breakfast you visit the impressive SS Soldek, a permanently moored tall stack steamship along the river quayside. This steam-powered 1948 bulk carrier was the first ship built in Gdansk after the war and was in active use until 1980. Its preserved engines and boilers are fully accessible, as are crew quarters and the wheelhouse. Then you enjoy one of the city’s signature attractions, its famed tramway to the seaside at Stogi, where delightful and expansive beaches await all visitors with pristine sands and dunes. After some more free time to enjoy and explore Gdansk, you meet your fellow travellers again in the evening for another dinner at the hotel. (B D)

Friday 1st August

Railway journey on the Baltic branch line to the seaside town of Łeba 

Today you explore another one of the region’s attractive railway lines that leads straight to the Baltic Sea and features a combination of both classic electric and vintage diesel traction.
You take a PKP Intercity train in First Class from Gdansk station via Gdynia to the junction of Lębork, before a traction change is made and a classic diesel takes you up the branch to the seaside terminus at Łeba. You have a chance to explore this resort and the pretty promenade.
In the afternoon you return by PKP Intercity train to Gdansk. (B)

Saturday 2nd August

By train to Malbork Castle and across the iconic Tczew Viaduct

After breakfast you take a direct train from Gdansk to Malbork, traveling by PKP Intercity train hauled by a vintage type EU07 electric locomotive. En route you’ll cross the landmark, 840-metre-long railway viaduct across the River Vistula at Tczew. At Malbork you will visit the iconic UNESCO World Heritage site, largest castle complex in the world, originally established by the Teutonic Knights in the 13th Century. You make the return ride to Gdansk in the afternoon. In the evening there’s a farewell dinner at the hotel. (B D)

Sunday 3rd August

Return to London

You have a direct flight from Gdansk back to London. (B)